Super Greens

What Are Super Greens?

There are basically two types of super green foods.

These are one-celled organisms whose family includes chlorella, spirulina, and blue-green algae. Elson M. Haas, MD, author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition, considers microal­gae to have tonic and rejuvenating qualities. They're high in chlorophyll, vitamins A, C, E, B complex, calcium, magnesium, iron, and a variety of other minerals including chromium and zinc. Microalgae are also rich in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid found in evening primrose oil. This type of super green food contains more vitamin B~2 than other plants, which makes it especially useful for vege­tarians whose diets are often low in this usually animal-based vit­amin.

Higher in chloro­phyll than any other algae, spir­ulina and chlorella are believed to absorb intestinal tox­ Tn addition, Dr. Haas reports increased mental alert­ness and clarity with all types of micro algae.

High in beta carotene, vitamin K (the clotting vitamin), calcium, and iron, wheat and barley grasses also contain several forms of anti-­inflammatory agents and are high in fiber. Like microalgae, grasses are rich in chlorophyll, a sub­stance that greatly resembles the chemical makeup of hemoglobin in human blood. Finally, cereal grasses are a concentrated source of digestive enzymes and the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), which helps slow cellular deterioration.

Both wheat grass and barley grass have similar properties, so experts recommend using them more or less interchangeably. Even if you have a wheat allergy, wheat grass is not likely to cause allergic reactions since it contains no gluten. If you're wary, try barley grass.